TeamIt is no secret that the cost of tuition has increased in the last half a decade, while salaries have stagnated, so it is definitely worth asking if a university degree is worth it anymore.
The answer is: it depends. On what you want to do, on the university degree, you want to get, on how sought-after that field is, and so on. But let us take it to step by step, answering some of the most frequently asked questions on this matter.
Do Employees Still Ask For a University Degree?
Not all of them that’s for certain. For example, it is well known that in the IT department, work as a front or backend developer does not necessarily require a degree, and you can actually land a job just with a recognized course.
As we mentioned in a previous article, in this field, the focus is on how well and fast you can adapt to the changes of the industry, but do keep in mind that you need a solid knowledge base to apply.
Medicine is one of the fields that will always require a degree, both for legal reasons (licensing) and actual knowledge. Even if some of the knowledge instilled in you during your courses may be old, there are still many of it who still hasn’t been rebuked yet.
In the engineering field also you will, in most cases, be required to have a university degree. So, if you want to discover the dolphins that may or may not swim about beneath the crust of Jupiter’s icy moons, you better get a Master’s cause the space agencies are quite adamant about that.
Some other fields that require a degree are:
- Sciences
- Veterinary science
- Accountancy
- Company management
- Law
- Teaching
Do People With University Degrees Make More Money?
This is a strong yes. Not only that, but studies show that University degree holders have higher chances of being employed, besides the higher salary to begin with. They are more likely to also save up money for personal projects, investments or retirement.
The trend is even stronger with those who go for higher degrees like Master’s and PhD. I already sense some of you thinking: “But Elon Musk dropped from college and he’s a billionaire!” That is true, but how many people achieved that level of success?
You may be able to count them on both of your hands. While you do so, keep in mind that there are over 7.5 billion of people on this planet and both statistically and realistically speaking, there is little chance for you specifically, to reach that point.
It is not impossible but it is best to increase your chances, by however little you can.
Networking
This is a huge aspect to consider. The classmates you may have in college can become the workmates of tomorrow, so it is vital to get to know as many people as you can. It is significantly easier to find jobs and projects to work on if you are well-connected.
Getting to know your professors can also lead you to find out about interesting projects and get on board. Again, it is all about having access to as many possibilities and opportunities as possible, in order to increase your chances of success.
A University Degree Will Help Your Personal Development
Besides the academic reasons, having a University degree will lead to your development, as a person. During your time attending courses, you will be faced with many situations, some more difficult than others, that you will need to deal with and overcome.
Time management and organization are some good examples of this. Most people have had at least one occasion where they needed to recap the whole semester curriculum in one week or less in order to pass an exam.
This sort of situation, while stressful at the time, is very beneficial long-term. Some Universities require a lot of study outside classes, so self-discipline and adaptability are a must. Such skills are extremely useful outside of the academic field and have many applications in life, generally speaking.
And let’s not beat around the bush, the parties and friends you make along the way are also an important factor to consider and appreciate. You will find people that go to college just to enjoy this part of student life. The stress comes in a package with the fun!
Conclusion
With the advent of Internet, it has become infinitely easier to learn a trade or attend courses, but this aspect has not yet managed to completely eradicate the need for a University degree.
While it is definitely possible to be successful in life without a degree, increase your chances is still a worthwhile investment, even today.
